Hidden
by burnedoubt
Summary: After accepting a job at the famous Jurassic World, Chantel Mayes is totally prepared for whatever the island can throw at her... or so she thinks. She didn't exactly anticipate a certain raptor trainer, nor did she foresee the lurking danger ahead. (Rated M for possible suggestive themes in later chapters)
1. Chapter 1

**(A/N: I do NOT own Jurassic World, Park, Park, or Park. Dang nabbit. Aaaaanyway, rated M for possible... Activities in later chapters.)**

Chantel Mayes looked dubiously down at the manila envelope Mr. Masrani had pushed into her hand. "In that, contains a two way ticket to Isla Nublar, should you decide you don't want to stay. Also you're room key, which wont be permanent. If you choose to remain on the island, you will be moved to the employee section." Simon said, in his strangely calm tone. Chantel couldn't help but be fascinated by it, for a reason that she couldn't exactly place.

"Mr. Masrani-" the dark-haired woman started.

"Simon. Call me Simon."

Chantel blinked at him, "Simon. You're a very persuasive person." She said with grim admiration, sighing. "Im just... hesitant. I prefer to not be on the island when history repeats itself." She said, pointedly remembering the original Jurassic Park.

"It wont." He said simply, his eyes trained on her movements. "We have the most up-to-date technology in the world, including our defenses." The eighth richest man in the world glanced down at the coffee she had provided him, stirring it thoughtfully. "Just consider it Ms. Mayes-"

"Chantel." She corrected.

He laughed and nodded, draining the last of his coffee and setting the mug on the counter. "Thank you for the coffee _Chantel_." Simon grinned as he draped his smoky grey suit coat over his shoulders. "I shall, hopefully, be seeing you within the week." He said before stepping out of the apartment, turning to close the door behind him.

The woman stared at her mug thoughtfully for a moment. "Why me?" She asked him suddenly, just as the door was about to shut.

"Because you're the best." He said, laughing, "spare me the modesty." The door shut quietly before Chantel could say anything else.

The animal behaviorist, sat in the spindly wooden chair, weighing her options as she sipped her coffee. "Dinosaurs. Fucking dinosaurs." She said aloud, chuckling.

Chantel fished out her cellphone from her jean pocket. She dialed a few numbers before bringing the device to her ear. It rang a few times before someone picked up. "Hello?"

"Hey Claire, guess what? Im coming."

"Blue! Cut the shit." Owen said firmly, his hand raised as he pressed a series of clicks. The raptor glared at him with her calculating amber eyes, appearing to be debating on whether or not she should annoy him further just for the hell of it. She seemed to decide against it, but settled for growling quietly.

"Good, that's my girl." He said approvingly. "We're movin'." The metal catwalk creaked lightly under Owen's weight as he moved to the pail of dead, white rats.

The raptors followed in relative unison, all of their eyes trained on the man above them. Echo's claw tapped impatiently in the dust, little growling noises escaping her jaws as she watched Owen intently, knowing there would be a treat involved.

"Echo!" The man said, her head raising in response as a rat was thrown down to her. She snapped it put of the air, swallowing the morsel whole.

"Delta, Charlie! These ones are for you." Owen tossed the two corresponding rodents to the waiting raptors.

"Blue." He said, directing his full attention towards the beta. "Eyes on me." Owen breathed, fishing out the last rat from the bucket. He raised his arm, her gaze following it as he did so. Owen threw down the white rat, watching as she plucked it out of the air with ease. "That's my girl." Owen breathed, leaning his tanned forearms against the railing as the raptors dispersed.

"Owen! Great job. The girls are getting along." A man's voice boomed. The raptor trainer turned to see his friend and co-worker, Barry striding towards him, a big smile spreading across his lips.

Owen grinned and glanced back down into the enclosure. "They sure are." He said happily, accepting a congratulatory shoulder clap from Barry. "Too bad Masrani didn't schedule to see them today. They probably wont be very cooperative on Wednesday. Vaccines always gets them antsy." Owen said as he scratched the back of his neck and shrugged.

Barry laughed, "don't remind m-"

The black man trailed off, his gaze turned to the gravel road that lead to the main park. He laughed as Simon Masrani stepping out of the sleek black car. "Speak of the devil." Barry nodded toward the "car lot".

Owen turned to see a small group of very muscular men escorting Mr. Masrani up the metal staircase, their guns, which were apparently supposed to be cleverly concealed, bulged underneath their suits. Owen snorted, shaking his head as he shifted his weight onto his other hip as he waited for Masrani to reach him.

The group stopped only a few feet in front of the two men, before Simon waved the guards away as if they were bothersome flies. "Wait for me in the car." He said shortly, watching them over his shoulder as they began to step away.

Only once they had reached the bottom of the metal staircase, did Simon Masrani return his attention to the raptor trainers.

"I am not going to waste time with polite formalities. I am a busy man." He said simply, his gaze scrutinizing the two men before him. "You will have a young woman who will potentially be _observing_ the velociraptors from a distance. She is a trained professional in animal behavior and will be ideally talking up at job as a trainer."

Owen began to protest but was cut off by Masrani's hand. "Wait until I'm finished before you judge what I have to say." Owen crossed his arms, scowling. The raptors didn't need anyone else but him; he couldn't understand why Masrani was forcing an "animal behaviorist" onto him. Owen was fine without unwanted extras who would probably just end up getting in the way. He bit his lip in agitation and stared at the ground.

"She will only be with you for a week, _if_ she comes at all." Simon continued as he looked at Owen. As if reading the raptor trainer's mind he added, "and she will most assuredly not get in the way."

Owen 'hmph-ed' and returned his gaze to Mr. Masrani.

Barry, who had been his usual quiet, attentive self, watched the exchange, carefully noting all that was said.

"Owen she'll only be here for a week. Why not give her a shot?" Barry said suddenly, shrugging his shoulders. "Besides, we have yet to see how the girls react to females. They've only worked with men before. It should be interesting to see."

Owen inhaled deeply, closing his eyes. "Fine." He said angrily, "just as long as I get to be in charge of her. I don't want any soloists." He glared at Masrani, despite the fact that he wasn't actually mad at Simon himself, rather what the billionaire had come to say.

Simon Masrani smiled. "That can certainly be arranged."

Owen nodded grimly and turned away, eager to get back to work and put this so-called "animal behaviorist" out of his mind.

"I expect I shall be seeing you boys shortly." Came Mr. Masrani's voice as he stepped back down the stairs and into the black car that awaited him.

Owen turned once they had left, watching the dust settle where the car had just been. Barry, stepped so he was standing next to the moody raptor trainer. "Forget about it. We have a few days before we have to start worrying." Barry said with a laugh before patting a large hand on Owen's shoulder and turning to walk away.

Owen glanced back at his friend and sighed, shaking his head. A few days wasn't long enough.

Chantel swept her gaze across her now bare apartment, running her fingers against the doorway as she stood. Though it hadn't been the most ideal living space, it had become her home in the years that she had lived there.

She had already called Mr. Masrani to tell him that she would be staying on the island permanently despite the fact that she had never seen Isla Nublar before, and that there was no need for him to prepare a temporary living area.

The dark-haired woman sighed and turned away from her old home, dragging her bags down the stairs and heaving the luggage into her car. She pursed her lips carefully, her hands on the steering wheel as she sat for a second. Today was the beginning of her new life. There was no room for doubt.

Chantel inhaled deeply and started up the car, pulling out of the garage and making her way to the LAX. The city of Los Angeles sped past her as she drove, little pockets of different cultures that lived within the one city became blurred.

Once inside the airport, Chantel narrowed her eyes. No matter how many times she had been to LAX, it never ceased to be confusing as hell. She groaned inwardly as she glanced down at her ticket. This _should_ be the right line, but somehow it always felt like she was in the wrong place. Chantel thrusted her hands into her hoodie pocket, her lips downturned in a slight frown as she waited.

Finally after what seemed like hours, she had all her baggage checked in, and he carry-on's surrounding her seat as she waited for her flight.

"All those flying on the 10:30 LA to Costa Rica flight, please check in over at desk two." A cool female voice echoed throughout the huge building.

Chantel stood, taking her earphones out and stuffing them into her pocket before getting in line behind a boy who appeared to be a few years younger than her. To her slight dismay (she wasn't exactly feeling like a social butterfly at the moment), the boy turned around and he smiled broadly at her. "Costa Rica, huh?" He asked excitedly.

Chantel paused. "Yup." She said, a hint of exasperation is her tone. _'That's why I'm in this line that's conveniently labeled:_ _ **Costa Rica**_ _.'_ She thought to herself.

Chantel closed her eyes briefly, reminding herself that she was trying to be on good behavior. "So what are you there for?" She asked him politely, though she wasn't really interested.

"Im going to Jurassic World!" He exclaimed, his face lighting up with anticipation. The woman couldn't help but smile softly. "Me too." Chantel said, tucking a strand of raven hair behind her ear. "Im going to be a trainer there. Hopefully." She laughed as he stared at her in awe.

"You're going to be with the dinosaurs?!" He asked, astounded.

She nodded and shrugged. "Who knows how it'll go though. I might end up as dino snacks." The young man laughed at this as stepped forward in line, the rest following suit. "Do you know which dinosaur you'll be working with? You could get an herbivore." He said pointedly.

Chantel shrugged again, "Yeah," she nodded toward the woman at the desk who was waiting for the young man's ticket. He hurriedly handed her the piece of paper. "I think I'd rather a carnivore." Chantel continued as she too handed the slip to the stewardess. "I personally find them to have more interesting behavior patterns." She said, keeping pace with the man, their footsteps echoing around the low metal tunnel.

"Mm. I guess I could see why that is." He thought aloud with raised eyebrows. "Oh by the way I'm Evan Peters." He awkwardly transitioned his bags to one hand in order to shake hers.

Chantel gripped his. "Chantel Mayes." She said shortly before stepping up the stairs that led into the plane. "I doubt we'll have a seat together but maybe Ill see you at the park." She said, smiling, before disappearing into the belly of the plane.

Evan smiled and nodded, despite the fact that she could no longer see him. He sat down in a window seat near the front, his elbow leaning against the window. Later during the two hour flight, his dreams would be occupied with flesh eating dinosaurs, roaming across the earth.

Chantel, who never fell asleep while traveling, stared out of the window and waited to be up in the air, pulling her earphones out once again to pass the time. She slid her phone out of her pocket too and unlocked it, pressing on Claire's name before typing a few words: 'On my way.'

Owen sat at the leather bar stool, a beer in hand. Margaritaville was a good place to relax after a day filled with feisty raptors. He pressed the glass against his lips, tipping his head back and draining the bottle.

"Hey Owen," a voice purred to the left of him. It was Anna, a brunette with big dark eyes and a very low-cut dress. He glanced at the dress, which was too short to be counted as a dress, more like a tank top. He smiled half-heartedly, not interested in her weak attempts at flirting. He had had a few one night stands with her but it hadn't been great. There was no passion in it.

Owen cringed inwardly as she trailed a hand down his arm. "Anna-"

"Shh." She put a finger to his mouth.

He glared at her. "I'm not interested." He said, pushing her finger away and standing up. He stepped out of the bar without a backward glance.

Cool air caressed his face, a few dry autumn leaves blowing across the ground. At this time of night, Jurassic World had undergone it's transformation into a ghost town, all the tourists seeking shelter from the chilly wind.

Owen swung his leg over his motorcycle, revving up the engine a few times before kicking it into motion and speeding along the "employee only" dirt road.

The dark jungle blurred beside him, his headlight creating a pool of light in front of him.

At the first turnoff, he made a wide arc, the dust billowing up behind the wheels. The bike rumbled to a stop in front of his bungalow, golden lights strung up around the porch.

Owen couldn't help but smile as he got off and trudged up the worn stairs. It had been a long day and his bed had never been more attractive, even if it didn't have a woman in it.

Owen pulled another beer out of the fridge and glanced up. Across the lake, he could make out a light that was coming from a previously unoccupied cabin. The raptor trainer blinked. "Oh shit." He breathed, putting two and two together. The new girl had supposedly arrived today, though somehow he had totally forgotten about it.

"Oh shit." He repeated once again, turning away from the bungalow across the water. Not only would he have to deal with a damn animal behaviorist at work, but he would have to deal with her here too.

Owen groaned and collapsed on his bed, too drained to finish his beer. He quickly undressed, pulling on a white wife-beater and boxers, and lay on his bed, somehow exhausted but wide awake at the same time. He rested his head against his arms and stared up at the ceiling.

After a while Owen fell into a restless sleep, worry plaguing his thoughts.

Owen wasn't the only one who had lain awake. Chantel had also spent a considerable amount of time thinking, and staring at the newly furnished cabin. It had only been then that she had fully realized that she was on Isla Nublar, home to animals that should have been long extinct.

Not to say that she wasn't excited beyond wits end. The moment she had stepped off the boat, she had gasped, her eyes lighting up in wonder. Everything had been so colorful and lively, people laughing, talking, and picking up loved ones after their journey. Everyone was reuniting with old friends and family, Chantel had realized with a slight twinge of sadness that nobody was there for her.

The woman had quickly pushed that aside to make room for her amazement as she wandered through the crowds. Suddenly she had then realized that she was clueless in terms of where to go. She had immediately slipped her phone out of her pocket and texted Claire.

 _ **Chantel: Hey, im here but idk where to go :P**_

 _ **Claire: Is Bryan not there?! I sent him to pick you up. Won't be able to see you today, you'll just have to entertain yourself. ;)**_

 _ **Chantel: Shouldn't be TOO much of a problem lol (i would keep an eye out for this so called Bryan but i have no idea what he looks like)**_

 _ **Claire: Well he's holding up a sign with your name on it so I think it'll be pretty easy for you to find him.**_

 _ **Chantel: Ughhh i hate when people have those signs. It's sooo awkward. My mom and dad used to do that... Still having nightmares about it**_

 _ **Claire: Haha poor little child. :P Anyway I gotta go. Text you later.**_

Chantel had grinned at her phone and shoved it back into her pocket, scanning the crowd for "Bryan". Finally she had spotted a moonfaced man wearing a pristine white suit. He had mopped his brow with a handkerchief before extending a nervous hand toward her. "P-pleasure to meet you ma'am."

She had met his hand, gripping it firmly, thus initiating the start of their tour. They had started with the control room, where she met all the employees and had engaged in a long conversation with Vivian and Lowery, both of whom seemed very friendly. Lowery in particular has seemed to pay attention to her, with a few awkward compliments that were cute nonetheless.

Chantel had left feeling very flattered. She hadn't always had the best of luck with men...

She had then been shown to her bungalow with the permission to wander wherever she wanted to throughout the park, and get familiar with it. She had made a bee-line toward the Mosasaurus exhibit, and left feeling thoroughly drenched but, but ecstatic.

Chantel was pulled out of her thoughts as her phone dinged from her bedside table. She sat up, reaching for her device. A text from her old friend Dr. Grant popped up onto the screen:

 ** _Dr. Grant: How is it so far? You promised you would text me as soon as you got there. You little liar._**

Chantel laughed and swung her legs over the bed as she replied:

 ** _Chantel: Sorry mister. :P kinda busy getting drenched by a giant Mosasaurus. Whatcha been up to?_**

 ** _Dr. Grant: oh the usual, not as exciting as running for your life from a t rex..._**

Chantel could tell that he was joking for the most part, but there was still a hint of a warning there. When Chantel had told him that she would be working at Jurassic World, he had totally flipped out, reprimanding her ear off on the phone whenever he had the chance.

Finally after a while he had simmered down but he was constantly dropping not-so-subtle hints. Chantel sighed and fell back onto the bed, phone in hand. She quickly typed a response.

 ** _Chantel: Haha. Very funny. Ill text you tomorrow after work, should be an exciting first day._**

 ** _Dr. Grant: Alright missy. Sweet dreams_**

 ** _Chantel: thanks dad. :P_**

Chantel smiled to herself, turning off her phone and sliding it to her bedside table. That last text had been a joke but it was partially true; Dr. Grant had been the dad she'd never had. Her real father had been too busy getting drunk to deal with her, so at the first opportunity she had, she moved away.

The woman glanced over at the lamp before outstretching a hand to turn it off. She pulled the blankets over her shoulders and closed her eyes, thinking about a quote she'd read somewhere: "before you fall asleep, you must first close your eyes and pretend to be asleep." Chantel smiled softly and waited, waited for sleep to come, bringing her very first day on the job.


	2. Chapter 2

**A/N: I don't own Jurassic World... Which is probably a good thing, because if I did I would probably ruin it with my enthusiasm... Also Im sorry this is so short... Ive been pretty busy**

 **(Also this is the girl Chantel is roughly based on, just for whoever wants to take the time to look it up :P** lo/api/res/1. . . **)**

 **Aaanyway, thank you so much Mangled Keys and crazykenz for the reviews! They mean a lot to me. 3**

 **So without further ado:**

Owen Grady pushed himself up onto his forearms, glancing at the clock: 5:30. He groaned, stretching as he stepped out of bed and walked in the general direction of his coffee pot. He still had an hour before he would have to leave for work, so he took his sweet time.

After finishing concocting the coffee, he gulped down the scalding hot drink and left in search of clothes. Finally he produced a pair of jeans and a button-up shirt, and, of course, his leather vest. He pulled on the clothes and sat down at the small table that he rarely used. It was probably a good idea to go get breakfast but he really wasn't in the mood.

The raptor trainer glanced at the pile if dirty dishes in the sink. He wasn't really in the mood to deal with those either. Owen wistfully stood up again, looking for something to do. It wasn't often that he was bored, in fact he didn't normally have time to be, due to his somewhat odd profession. The raptors kept him pretty occupied for the most part.

He slipped on his belt, twisting it around his waist so that his knife could be easily accessed, should the need occur. With his fingers still on the belt, Owen's eyes flitted to the bungalow across the lake, then to his clock (It read 6:50), and then back to his new neighbor. He could potentially go over there and see what he would be dealing with for the next week...

Owen narrowed his eyes slightly, chewing his lip, before glancing back at the clock, just to make sure he hadn't misread it, though he was almost hoping he had. Before he could decide against it, he was already out the door and walking down the steps.

He walked slowly along the lake shore, his eyes never leaving the cabin which was now only a few yards away from him. Upon closer inspection, the small building was very similar in design, both of the porches overlooking the lake.

He ambled up the stairs, suddenly feeling very awkward as he knocked on the door. No answer.

He tried again. No answer.

He walked around the side of the bungalow, peering into the windows. Inside was pretty neat, the bed made with some effort and a few empty boxes sitting at the side of the room. No one seemed to be inside, which Owen found odd.

Finally giving up, he headed back towards his little home, puzzling over the disappearance of his neighbor. _**Probably just out for an early morning run or something.**_ He thought to himself as he jogged up his own steps yet again.

By now it was time for Owen to leave for work, thank God, so he grabbed his motorcycle keys and rushed out the door, not because he was late, but simply because he wanted to get there before the others. He cast a final glance at the empty bungalow across the lake before shaking his head and speeding along the road, the sound of his bike roaring in his ears.

Owen had partially been right about the newest employee on the island, she had gone for a jog at around 4:40 (she always had trouble sleeping). She, however, hadn't been on her run when Owen had stopped by, in fact she was long gone. Being the morning person that Chantel was, the woman had run to the raptor paddock, where she was supposed to start her first day (with a map in hand of course). Chantel still hadn't gotten her car; apparently the island security was still checking it before they allowed her to have it.

Chantel stopped in front of the huge concrete enclosure, almost forgetting that she was utterly out of breath as she gaped in awe at the building. The sky was rosy from the early morning sun, and it shone from behind the paddock, illuminating the walls. The woman took in every detail, the metal staircase that led to the spiderweb of catwalks catching her attention in particular.

She stepped forward so that she was at the bottom of the staircase and ran her hand along the cool railing. Chantel slowly made her way up the flight of stairs, marveling at her surroundings. From what it looked like so far, this wouldn't be a boring job.

Chantel had been informed by Simon Masrani that she would be "working for" a Mr. Owen Grady, the park's raptor trainer. At first she had protested but in the end accepted it, deciding that it would be worth it to see the raptors, despite not being able to work the way she wanted to work.

Interestingly enough, when Chantel had mentioned this to Claire, her friend hadn't missed a beat by ranting about how egotistical and irresponsible Owen Grady was. This had caught Chantel's attention. By the sound of it, Claire and Owen had had a little something going on between them.

The animal behaviorist had, of course, scolded Claire profusely for not telling her, then proceeded to ask if this mysterious Mr. Grady was hot (a very critical question). Claire had ignored the last text and went on to talk about the new petting zoo.

Chantel was actually pretty excited to meet the famous (or infamous) Owen Grady.

Once reaching the top step, she glanced back to see a green car pull up. A dark skinned man stepped out, pushed the door behind him, before jogging to the stairs. Chantel leaned against the railing, waiting for the man to notice her presence. Barry had gotten about one fourth of the way up the stairs before he glanced up to see a woman with dark hair, pale grey eyes, and a soft smile on her lips as she watched him. She wore an olive green tank top that was tucked into dark grey cargo pants that seemed to have an endless amount of pockets. She also had on black lace-up boots that sported a multitude of scratches and scuff marks.

"Chantel Mayes." She said, holding her hand out as he drew closer to her. "Barry Dehner," he replied, slightly surprised when she gripped his hand; for a rather delicate looking woman, she was strong. "So you're the new girl I'm guessing."

"You guessed correctly."

Barry nodded and gestured towards the catwalks, "well I'd better give you the tour then." The pair walked along the rim of the paddock, Barry explaining the routine. "I wanted to get here before you, but you beat me to it. Usually I'm the earliest, but then again there's only Owen to compete with," he laughed as he walked. "Guess I'll have to try harder tomorrow." The man grinned.

"But anyways, at around 9:00 we give the girls their daily medicine and check up. Then Owen goes through a few of the basic training maneuvers, and then we'll have to fill in some of the records before we have a lunch break."

Chantel smirked, "so who is this elusive Owen? I've heard a lot about him from Claire," the woman smiled again.

Barry glanced at her. Seems like this girl was full of surprises. "You're a friend of Claire's?" He asked incredulously.

She shrugged. "Since highschool."

Barry's eyebrows raised, stopping and leaning against the railing. "Owen is probably one of the best trainers on this island. What sets him apart from the others is that he has a respect for these animals, and vice versa. The others just see them as things that have to be controlled rather than beings."

Chantel didn't really know what to say to this so she just nodded, resting her forearms agains the metal rail.

The sound of leaves rustling below them caught Chantel's attention. The woman had almost forgotten that she hadn't seen hide nor hair of the animals yet (or their trainer), so she watched the bush carefully.

A creature stepped out of the undergrowth, eliciting a gasp from Chantel. It was the most beautiful animal she had ever seen, with a sapphire blue streak running along it's sides. The raptor locked eyes with the woman, quivering a little as she tilted her head, her eyes narrowing to slits as three more stepped into the dappled sunlight. They each sniffed the air, obviously noticing a new presence.

Chantel was transfixed.

"Ahh here they are," Barry said, turning toward the cage. "I would give you their names but I think Owen should do the honors." He chuckled, glancing down at his clock. "He should be arriving any minute now. Wait here for a second." The man said, jogging back to the rim of the paddock and punching a few numbers into his phone, proceeding to make his phone call.

Chantel had barely listened, nodding absently without taking her eyes of the raptors. "You're beautiful girls aren't you?" She said softly from the catwalk. The one with blue streaks snapped her jaws as if in agreement.

The animal behaviorist laughed, sitting cross-legged on the catwalk, hanging her hands through the bars. "Yes you are," Chantel cooed, already feeling attached to the animals. The raptors flicked their tails, as the one with the deep blue streak stepped forward. She seemed to have the most power over the pack, therefore she was either the Beta or the Alpha, depending on their relationship with this Owen.

The sound of a motorcycle roar interrupted Chantel's trance. She stood, casting one last look at the raptors, before walking to the rim of the paddock and glancing down at the gravel lot. A man swung his leg off the bike, twisting the key so it rumbled to a stop. Chantel glanced at Barry questioningly.

 _Owen_. The man mouthed, turning away. "What the hell are you talking about?" He said into the phone as he wandered off.

Chantel raised a dark brow, returning her attention to Owen. Even from a distance, she could tell he was incredibly attractive. _Great. Just what I needed; another distraction._ She thought to herself, resting her weight against the railing.

"Owen Grady." She called down to him musingly. He glanced up, startled. "I've heard a lot about you," she smiled as he walked up the stairs. He raised an eyebrow as he reached the top with surprising speed. "You have?"

"Mhmm." She smirked. "Claire had a lot to say about you."

Owen grimaced. "I bet."

"I'm Chantel Mayes, your new employee."

"Mm." He nodded, glancing at Chantel carefully as if he was evaluating her. Making up his mind about something, he stepped past her, "better give you the-"

"Tour?" Chantel grinned, finishing his sentence, "Barry already showed me around." She fought to ignore his perfectly sculpted arm muscles as she forced her face into an expression of indifference.

He looked surprised. "He thought it would be better if you told me their names yourself." Chantel explained, motioning towards the raptors below them.

For once in his life, Owen Grady seemed to be at a loss for words.

Had the circumstances been different, Owen would have certainly been hitting on her by now.

However, he still wasn't entirely sure he wanted her to be there so he remained stony faced for the most part. She was definitely pretty, he would give her that, and she had a certain relaxed attitude that he cherished in his friends; the ability to not take everything completely seriously was something he liked in people.

Interestingly enough, his girls responded very well to Chantel's presence when he took her downstairs where his raptors were muzzled, which Owen was both surprised and impressed by.

The woman seemed particularly interested in Echo; she commented about how she seemed to be the lowest ranking of the four. Owen watched her intently, his arms folded as she held out a hand, giving Echo the opportunity to familiarize herself with her scent. The raptor sniffed the outstretched hand warily, her eyes following every movement.

Chantel slowly brought her hand against the reptile's skin, marveling at leatheriness of Echo's skin. The animal strained against her bonds at first but soon stood still, her pupils dilated and contracted as she watched the woman.

Chantel stepped back, smiling softly at Owen. "You have some gorgeous animals here Mr. Grady," she said, her stormy grey eyes settling back on Echo.

"Trust me, I know." Owen said, the ghost of a proud smile on his lips, the first sign of happiness he'd allowed himself show since meeting her.

Chantel thoroughly confused him. On one hand, he didn't like the idea of extra help, on the other, he found the woman's personality to be both intriguing and very easy to be around.

Owen inhaled sharply and dug his hands into his pockets. He'd just have to wait and see how everything turned out.


	3. Chapter 3

**A/N: I don't own Jurassic World... Which is probably a good thing, because if I did I would probably ruin it with my enthusiasm...**

 **Anyway, sorry Ive posted this chapter so late, Ive been in the mountains, sans wifi, which is pretty scary. (AND HOLY SHIT OWEN'S SASS IS JUST. UGH. I CANT DO IT.)**

Chantel waved at the two men, grinning as she stepped out of the air conditioned office. The first half of her day was spent with Owen sullenly explaining the raptor enclosure, as if her presence annoyed him; yet as the day went on, he seemed to relax and he had even flirted and cracked some jokes with her.

Chantel bit her lip as she walked, thinking about how her cheeks warmed whenever he spoke to her. Not a good sign.

Owen Grady was, she had to admit, pretty damn perfect, in terms of personality and looks.

His dirt-streaked blue shirt could barely conceal his amazingly toned arms and torso. It wasn't his lightly tanned skin or his tousled brown hair that made her heart flutter (well, that wasn't completely true), it was his eyes. She could have easily gotten lost in their deep blue color that reminded her of ocean, or the color of the sky just before evening.

Chantel bit her lip, closing her eyes and drawing in a deep, angry breath.

She wasn't here to have a stupid schoolgirl crush. She needed to focus on her job. Besides, someone like Owen would never notice someone like her.

"Chantel," a deep voice accompanied with the rumble of an engine tugged her out of her thoughts and she whipped around toward the noise.

"Thought you mind need a lift," he smirked, patting the seat behind him.

Chantel raised an eyebrow skeptically. "You don't seriously expect me to get on that thing, right?"

The woman folded her arms; though she had never actually been on a motorcycle herself, she had had a decent amount of friends who had gotten into accidents with them. They were definitely not Chantel's first choice of transportation.

Owen pouted in mock hurt. "Are you suggesting I'm a bad driver?"

"That's exactly what I'm suggesting," the woman said with narrowed eyes.

Owen scoffed. "Are you kidding? I've had this baby for years," he patted the engine affectionately.

Chantel raised her brow. On the one hand, if she walked, she'd probably collapse from exhaustion (her first day had been surprisingly eventful, though if you work at a raptor paddock, it's bound to be). On the other hand, giving Owen the satisfaction of letting him give her a ride was not something she liked the idea of. It was such a dilemma...

"Fine. If I die then I'm suing you," she said as she gingerly straddled the bike. Thank God she was wearing jean shorts.

"Y'know I'm only doing this cause they haven't given me my car yet," she warned as he grinned over his shoulder at her.

"You should probably hold-"

Chantel's arms wrapped around his waist tightly, squeezing her eyes shut.

"-on." Owen finished, raising an eyebrow at her.

"Just go." She growled, trying her very hardest not to notice his chiseled abs which, to her dismay, were her only anchor. She couldn't have been more relieved that he couldn't see her blushing.

Owen laughed and revved the engine before taking off down the dusty road.

It wasn't far to the lake which lay between the two bungalows, only about ten minutes to be specific, however Chantel felt like it was much longer.

Chantel hated herself for not being able to find something else to focus on, other than Owen's muscles. She mentally kicked herself. "Focus," she growled to herself.

However, she unfortunately didn't notice the mischievous grin that was spreading over the raptor trainer's face.

Suddenly, Owen swerved, the wheels skidding in the dust. Chantel yelped, clinging to him with a death grip, which only produced a barking laugh from Owen as he righted the course of the bike. "You ass!" She shouted over the wind.

"It's nice isn't it?" He said seriously, twisting around to pretend to admire his butt.

"Eyes on the road!" Chantel screeched, burying her head into his leather vest. She could feel the vibrations of his body as he chuckled, skillfully maneuvering the road.

Chantel breathed in. He smelled of mint and earth and sweat. Chantel pulled away, horrified. Great. Now she was smelling him.

After what seemed like forever to Chantel, they arrived at the raptor trainer's bungalow and Chantel quickly jumped off, pulling her dark hair into a ponytail. She glanced at Owen who was snickering at her as the engine rumbled to a stop and she scowled at him.

But it seemed that Owen's laughter was infectious, because a smile began to tug at her lips. "Next time I'd appreciate it if you don't practice your stunts while I'm on that thing," Chantel scolded him halfheartedly, trying and failing to force her small smile away.

"So there'll be a next time?" Owen asked, amusement glittering in his gorgeous eyes.Her eyes widened and she pursed her lips. She didn't know why it was so impossible to keep her pulse in check?

Chantel raised an eyebrow. Though, she had only met him this morning, she felt like she had almost known him for years, yet there was something mysterious about him that she couldn't put her finger on. Maybe it was because he never volunteered any information about himself, instead changing the subject or asking about her...

"You wish." Chantel retorted over her shoulder, deciding that her rapidly thudding heart was a sign that she should _not_ be close to the raptor trainer. Half of her, though she would never admit it, wished that he would make her stay.

She turned, holding up two fingers in a mock solute as she walked backwards "'Night boss."

Owen gave her a lopsided grin as he walked up the creaky wooden steps of his bungalow. "Not so fast, soldier," he chuckled, opening a cooler on the porch, "wanna beer?"

Chantel hesitated. A beer sounded absolutely perfect right now... But she imagined that pretty much anything Owen Grady suggested would sound perfect.

To her slight surprise she nodded, reaching up to catch the beer he had tossed her. Chantel stepped up to the porch, leaning her forearms against the railing casually as she popped open the can.

As she sipped the beverage, her eyes followed Owen who had taken another beer out of the cooler and made his way so that he was standing next to her.

"So," he took a swig of beer, "where do you come from?"

"L.A. Pretty different from here." She said simply, glancing down at her beer as she swirled it around a little. "But at least I'm pretty used to heat by now."

Owen chuckled, studying her carefully. "Did Masrani drag you out here himself?"

"Yup." Chantel drained her beer, turning towards the raptor trainer. "Does he do that with everyone or am I just special?" She teased, grinning playfully.

Owen offered her a quirky grin, "He was probably just trying to get to you before Claire does."

Chantel laughed, glancing down at her empty beer can, eager to find something to distract her from Owen's gaze. "Trust me, she got to me _years_ before Simon did."

Owen's eyebrows raised. "You know Claire?" He sounded totally and utterly shocked, which Chantel couldn't help but laugh lightly at.

"Ever since high school," she turned so that her back was against the railing, "believe it or not, Claire used to be pretty awkward..." Chantel smiled fondly. "Ahh, the mysterious methods of puberty."

"Well, I don't know about you but I was just always this attractive," Owen smirked down at her.

"Haha." she said dryly, surprised how casual her voice sounded, when her pulse was speeding so fast. There really was something wrong with her.

"And were you always this cocky?" She teased, with mock curiosity.

"Only if I wanted to be," he shot back with a grin.

Chantel groaned. "Jesus. What am I going to do with you?" She straightened to toss her empty can away.

"Well, there are lots of things; you could continue this with me inside my bungalow, preferably without-"

"Owen. You know that's not what I meant," she said condescendingly but the amusement in her eyes betrayed her.

"You sure about that?" He laughed, his blue eyes glittering mischievously

"Well... The offer _is_ tempting," she joked with a laugh. Again she wondered how this man could be her boss... A boss who had met her today and was now flirting with her...

"Anyway, I'd better go back now," she said jabbing a thumb over her shoulder in the direction of her bungalow. "Thanks for the beer," she winked.

Chantel marveled at how quickly Owen's attitude changed from playful to calm as he nodded in acknowledgement. He'd be a puzzle to figure out.

"See ya tomorrow." He said as she walked. Chantel nodded and turned, glad he couldn't see the happy grin on her face as she made her way to her own home. She was definitely looking forward to "day two".

Owen watched Chantel's retreating figure, a grin spreading across his face. He had to admit, he enjoyed her company much more than he originally thought he would.

Owen ambled into his bungalow, setting his can of beer on the counter and pulling off his dusty boots. He drew his gaze up and out of the window where a light from the bungalow across the lake blinked on as Chantel apparently stepped inside.

Owen's lips curved upwards in yet another small smile before he collapsed onto his bed, cushioning his head on his arms. He would have to amend his earlier statement: he was _definitely_ looking forward to tomorrow.

Chantel awoke to the sound of birds twittering. She had, for the first time in a quite a while, slept for a whole night...

She glanced groggily over at her bedside table and flung her arm in the general direction of it, reaching for her phone. She turned it on. One text from Claire and one from Dr. Grant. She was about to reply when she paused. What time was it?

"Oh shit!" Chantel exclaimed, bolting upright and flinging the covers back. It was already 7:00.

As she struggled with her shorts, Chantel unlocked her phone to read Claire's most recent text.

 **Claire: How was the first day? Did you meet Owen?**

Chantel hastily typed out a reply, pulling on her shirt. "Great. Yes, I, met, him." She said the words segmentally out loud, her thumbs working furiously.

With that Chantel stuffed her phone in her pocket, grabbing her car keys (which she had found in an envelope last night, along with her car parked out front) and rushed outside.

She slid into the car and, without bothering with her buckle, drove off, dust billowing up from behind the wheels. Chantel gripped the steering wheel tightly, her knuckles growing white. She _hated_ to be late.

She skidded to a halt in front of the raptor paddock and flung the door open. As she clambered up the metal stairs, she pulled her hair back into a messy bun, though a few unruly strands fell out, framing her face.

Once upstairs she burst into the office, feeling extremely flustered. "I-I'm here!" She pronounced, out of breath.

Owen and Barry glanced up at her from some files they had been discussing. Owen smirked, leaning back in his chair. "Great to know," he said as she blushed furiously.

"I have some exciting news. Drumroll please," he looked at Barry pointedly, who sighed and shook his head. "Fine forget the drumroll. Today," he paused for suspense, "we'll be working _inside_ the paddock."

 **A/N: Chris Pratt is hot.**


	4. Chapter 4

**(A/N: I don't own Jurassic World... :(**

 **Many thanks to the lovely people who reviewed! Your feedback makes my day... Like seriously. Anyway, I just want to clear this up (I was asked a question about this) Alan Grant is** ** _not_** **Chantel's actually father but she does kinda see him as the dad she never had.**

 **PS. Parks. And. Rec. 3**

 **PPS. Thinking about making the rest of the story as Chantel's point of veiw... Ill do it for this chapter and then you can review and tell me what you think.**

My hands clenched into fists as I inhaled sharply. "The... raptor paddock?" I asked, wondering if I had heard correctly. I blinked at the man in front of me, the man who was the sole cause of the breath that had hitched in my chest.

"Mhm. Let's go Mayes." Owen said briskly, standing up and striding out the door. Barry followed, shaking his head sympathetically.

Feeling extremely conflicted, I stepped out of the office and trailed after the two men. On one hand, getting to witness how the raptors naturally react was like my dream come true, but on the other hand, how they naturally react would probably be to eat me.

Very tricky business.

"Am I gonna be in there alone?" I asked Owen tentatively as the group descended the stairs.

Owen wheeled around, looking at me very seriously. "Of course. Problem?"

" _Excuse_ m-"

"Relax, I'm kidding." Owen said with a bark of laughter as he resumed his pace. "No matter how certified you are, I won't let you in alone."

I released a somewhat shaky breath, managing to smile softly at his statement. Did he realize that by saying even that, my cheeks were set aflame?

I groaned inwardly. So much for a strictly business-related relationship.

Outside the paddock, Owen punched a few buttons and the metal bars groaned as they began inching upwards. "Ready?" he asked, an emotion that almost looked like excitement twinkling in his eyes.

I raised an eyebrow. "If I said no, would you let me not do this?"

Owen laughed. "Not a chance," he offered me a devilishly handsome smile that caused my heart to skip a few beats.

"Thought so." I said, ignoring my heartbeat's reaction, pursing my lips and following him inside the paddock filled with undergrowth and wood chips. Somehow, with Owen there, I felt oddly safe...

Casting one last look at Barry, who stood with his forearms resting against the bars, I attempted to brace myself for what was to come.

It turned out to be an impossible task.

At the sound of rustling in the bushes to my left, I whirled around so that I was facing the source of the noise: a velociraptor, fully capable of tearing me to shreds, stood before me, tapping her claw against the dusty ground.

From what I remembered from yesterday's encounter with the girls, her name was Delta.

"Stay very still; slow movements." Owen breathed through his teeth as he raised his arm. I nodded, though I knew he wasn't really paying attention to me; he was a little preoccupied.

Delta's amber eyes followed his actions intently, flicking to me every now and then. She raised her snout, sniffing the air as she took a few steps forward. Suddenly the leaves were parted to reveal three more raptors, who padded into the clearing, one after the other. They spread out so they formed a semi-circle around us, their pupils narrowing to slits.

The one named Blue snapped her jaws, taking another step towards us. Though curious, she seemed to be edgy and extremely wary.

Her piercing gaze found mine and she held it evenly, her tail swaying as she moved forward another few paces.

I was trembled, but I kept my eyes level, trying my hardest not show weakness: weakness the raptors would certainly take advantage of, given the chance.

"Blue. Stand down." Owen's calm voice came from my side. He carefully gripped my arm, pulling me back slightly. "Delta, I see you." He raised his calloused hand in warning.

I glanced at Owen; he had his eyes narrowed in concentration as he slowly guided us backwards. Suddenly, to my extreme surprise, I found our predicament almost ridiculous and I bit back a grim chuckle.

Now was _definitely_ not the time to be laughing.

Not knowing what had come over me a few seconds ago, I returned my full attention toward the potentially murderous raptors, who, to my horror, were all looking directly at me.

I froze as Echo stepped forward, snapping her jaws at me. Her amber eyes looked curious and calculating as she stretched her head out toward me.

My breath caught in my chest and I swallowed. I found that I couldn't tear my eyes away from her as she carefully padded forward, testing the waters.

Owen's grip on my arm tightened and he pulled me farther backward. I stumbled, but my eyes remained fixed on Echo. She had paused about a foot away from me, tilting her head, apparently deciding whether or not she should eat me.

To my utmost surprise and horror, I raised my hand, fingers quivering as I did so. This went against all my codes of safety, and of my profession. It was common knowledge that putting your hand out to a carnivorous animal that you didn't know at all, was _not_ a good idea. Especially if that animal happened to be a fucking velociraptor.

Owen inhaled sharply from behind me and his fingers tightened around my arm. I would probably have bruises from that tomorrow... If I survived until tomorrow.

Out of my peripheral vision, I could see Barry, his hand hovering centimeters away from a big red button, while his jaw clenched and unclenched.

"You better know what you're doing Chantel," Owen breathed from my side. I didn't.

With a single swift movement, Echo closed the space between us, butting her head against my hand gently.

That, was definitely not what I was expecting. Actually, I didn't know what I _had_ been anticipating from that insanely huge gamble...

Suddenly aware of how loud my breathing was, I rubbed my thumb in small circles around her leathery skin, taking care not to make any sudden movements, as they would have been my last in this fragile situation. She seemed to appreciate it, to my immeasurable relief, and a purring sound began to rumble through her throat.

I glanced back at Owen who stood, speechless, apparently caught completely off guard.

The other raptors were standing stock still as they watched the exchange, unsure of how to respond to it.

Suddenly Blue lunged toward me snapping her jaws. It seemed she had finally decided she didn't want me there anymore.

I stumbled back, panic sweeping through my body as I fell to the ground. A pair of strong arms reached under me and pulled upward, getting me to my feet. I turned and dashed toward the closing gate, only a few steps behind Owen.

It all happened in slow motion. He ducked under the bars, sending wood chips flying, just before the gate thudded to a close.

Horror flooded my body and my most animalistic survival mode kicked in as I dodged to the side, racing in an arc around the raptors. A claw flashed out to the side catching me on my leg and tearing through fabric and skin. I ignored the searing pain and headed for the undergrowth; getting into a tree was my only hope.

As I fought my way through the bushes, I could hear the twigs snapping behind me and to the side of me: the raptors were easily keeping pace.

Pushing my legs to move faster, I used my momentum to leap to the first branch of a prehistoric tree. The raptors appeared into the clearing and screeched, racing at me.

I swung the rest of my body into the tree, just as the raptor's jaws snapped closed around the space I had just been.

I let out a gasp of air, only just realizing I had been holding it in. The raptors prowled around the tree their amber eyes trained on me, waiting for a chance to jump and grab hold of me.

I climbed higher, twigs scratching my face and legs but at this point I didn't really care. A trickle of ruby red blood inched down my leg and I positioned myself so that I was sitting relatively comfortably.

I twisted my leg to look at my calf; a deep four inch gash stretched across the side of my leg.

I winced, the adrenaline fading and the pain returning.

Glancing down, I let out a breath of relief: the raptors seemed to have gotten bored with me and stalked off. I couldn't, however, let my guard down as I knew they were fully capable of slinking around in the undergrowth, unseen and waiting.

I slumped against the trunk of the tree, closing my eyes.

What a great way to start off my new job.

Though I couldn't see the metal walkway through the tree branches, I knew it had to be relatively close by.

I could hear shouting in the distance, but I didn't want to reply and risk renewing the raptor's interest in me.

Standing up carefully, my hands gripping a branch above me, I glanced up. If I could get high enough, someone might see me, or even better, I might be able to reach the walkway.

Gingerly shifting so that I wasn't taking any weight on my injured leg, I wrapped an arm around a branch, pulling myself up.

I groaned, squeezing my eyes shut and repeating the actions: wrap, then pull.

Finally, after what seemed like hours, I reached as far as I could go without the branches bending under me.

My gaze scanned around the paddock. The walkway was about ten feet above me, completely out of reach.

"Shit." I muttered. This meant my only hope would be to try and get to the gate... which was basically suicide.

Looking up, I was surprised at how empty the metal structure above me was, though I could hear voices barking out orders from outside the walls.

Glancing back at the entrance, I could make out Barry's figure. His hand was still hovering over the gate controls, apparently waiting to see if I would try and break through.

Thank God for Barry.

I turned, scanning the paddock ground beneath me, waiting for some sign of movement.

Far off to my right, a tail flicked into view and there were a few playful screeches. I could just make out the figures of Echo, Delta, and Charlie, but Blue was nowhere to be seen.

I swallowed, climbing down a little farther. Still no sign of the beta raptor.

Reaching the lowest branch, I checked the surrounding area yet again. Nothing.

I inhaled sharply before leaping down, my injured leg buckling slightly, but I recovered and dashed off as fast as I could toward the gate.

Trying to ignore the searing pain, I broke out of the cover of trees and grimaced as I ran. Now was the hard part. It was either I make it or I get torn into ribbons.

Halfway there, ten yards left, seven yards, five yards-

From behind me I could hear a screech and the pounding of feet.

She was right on cue.

I heard myself yell at Barry to start closing the gate, but I don't remember opening my mouth. I could feel Blue closing in behind me, her hot breath on my neck as she snapped her jaws terrifyingly close to my shoulder.

Barry's eyes were wide as he shouted something that I couldn't make out, the gate nearly closed; everything felt hazy and dreamlike, as if I were moving in slow motion.

Reacting purely on instinct I ducked, wood chips flying in every direction as both Blue and I slid to a stop on either side of the bars.

Barry called hastily to someone and pulled me to my feet. Blackness lined the edge of my vision as I slumped against Barry. It gradually closed in as figures ran toward me, the inky darkness finally obscured my eyesight, and an odd floating feeling overtaking my body as I fell...


End file.
